Recommendations in Beirut?

[mushmouth]

Will be in Beirut for a week and would appreciate any eating recommendations or advice. Many thanks.

[Robert Easton]

I hope this isn't too late. I am new to Chowhound, and just discovered the Beirut query.
For great Lebanese food, I can recommend Al Balad in the downtown area.
They have a full range of traditional mezze, some with a distinctive twist that makes them truly special. Do Not Miss the coriander potatoes. Armenian/Lebanese can be found a Al Mayass in Ashrafieh. Lebanese with an asian twist at Casablanca on the Corniche. Good food and good jazz at the Blue Note in Hamra. And for street food (which abounds in Beirut) Bar Bar's in Hamra and Faysal's at the end of Bliss St.

[NancyC]

I know this is way too late but for future readers: Booza has almost ridiculously good ice cream. Booza means ice cream but there is also an actual shop named this...ask around!

[etherpopsicle]

I was curious if anyone had any recent thoughts on this Beirut food query. I'll be there visiting/sightseeing in early December and would love one or two good places to hit. I've lived in Manhattan for ten years and come from an Arab heritage.

[missbealiba]

This is ridiculously late in terms of the original enquiry, but there is a place called Le Chef that serves the most delicious lebanese food. It is even quite cheap. It's in the Achrifiye area where all the bars are.

[mystikdrey]

Here are a couple of rec's that could be useful in the future:

For modernized mezze and Lebanese cuisine: Leila (top floor of ABC Ashrafieh)
For the best ice cream: Le crémier (it’s a chain, there are many locations)
For the best kneffe (either cheese or ashta) and other incredible sweets: Douaihy
For amazing baklawa: Hallab
For the best falafel: M. Sahyoun (near Sodeco)
For a great high-end Lebanese meal: Mhanna (Dbayeh)
For the tastiest and freshest hummus and other beans-based dishes: Friends in Gemayzeh
For a nice cocktail on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Med or the mountains: Capitol, Skybar, White
For an exceptionally tasty snack (manaeesh or sandwich): Zaatar w zeit, Kababji, B2B
For the freshest Lebanese bread: Wooden bakery
For a memorable meal outside of Beirut: restaurant in a nomad tent at Mzaar (sorry, don’t know the name), or Al Ferdaws (Ehden)

Sahten!

[junglekitte]

Great report. Will copy/paste those recommendations for my future trip there!

[yozef]

Without a doubt, if you are looking for a good Lebanese traditional restaurent, it's Mounir in Beit Marry.

Or Café Blanc in Ashrafieh's posh ABC Centre, in Beyrouth.